SWS IDEA Working Group
Shirley Chisholm is a Verb!
Shirley Chisholm famously said, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” This biography illuminates how Chisholm was a doer, an active and vocal participant in our nation’s democracy, and a force to be reckoned with.
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In this guide, you can find ways to help you more deeply engage with Shirley Chisholm is a Verb! and its themes:
"There are people in our country's history who don't look left or right, they look straight ahead. Shirley Chisholm was one of those people."
Reading Tips
Make reading a family affair by reading and talking about the book together as a family. Re-read or ask an older child to re-read to a younger child.
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Here are some terms to help talk about, and explain book themes, with your little ones:
Verb
A word that tells about actions, motions, doing, or a state of being. Examples of verbs are written in turquoise throughout Shirley Chisholm is a Verb!.
Determination
Continuing to try to do something, even when it is hard.
Intersectionality
Intersectionality is the combination of different identities that make up a whole individual. Just like a puzzle, each person is made up of lots of different pieces, like their race, gender, and religion. To understand the full picture, you have to put together the puzzle.
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Congress
The part of the American government in charge of making laws for the whole country. There are representatives in Congress from each state.
Congress is made up of the Senate and House of Representatives. Shirley Chisholm served seven terms in the House of Representatives.
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Learn About the Branches of Government (BrainPop Jr.)
Discussion Questions
Books are a great way for grown-ups to open the door to meaningful conversations about big topics with our little ones. Below are some questions to open dialogue and deepen understanding about the themes in Shirley Chisholm is a Verb!.
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If you were president, what would you do? What laws would you change?
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Even when others did not believe in her, Shirley Chisholm kept fighting for her goals and beliefs. What are you passionate enough about to fight that
hard for? -
Being a Black woman, Shirley Chisholm was able to understand challenges impacting Black people and women differently than others. She used that understanding to create positive change for both. Do you belong to multiple groups? How can you use that to create positive change?
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Shirley Chisholm is a verb because she was a doer. What verbs describe you and what you want to do? Check out the word cloud below. Go to this site to add your verbs and check out what other members of the SWS community said.
“If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”
Pause: What does it mean to have a seat at the table? What table do you think Shirley Chisholm is talking about? What does she mean by bringing a folding chair?
Grown-ups: Have you ever had to create a space for yourself when you were not included at first? Share with your little one and have them do the same.
Dig Deeper
Shirley Chisholm is a Verb! has references to a lot of Shirley's actual words. The illustrations depict real events. Explore some of the histories of those moments below.
Real Photo: Shirley Chisholm thanking delegrates
Real Photo: Campaign brochure
Real Moment: Shirley Chisholm awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
More Women's History Month Recommendations
Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation
By Duncan Tonatiuh
This book show one family’s fight for desegregation in the California school system and their victory achieved years before (and actually lead to) the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, which desegregated schools in the entire country.
Talk About It
Here is a full list of the verbs that were highlighted in Shirly Chisholm is a Verb!. Why was each verb important for Shirley Chisholm? Can you think of a time when you have “been” one of these verbs? Write a story or poem about it. Or, pick one or more verbs from the list to illustrate. Think about how you can draw it to make your picture feel active and to capture the spirit of the verb.
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Connect
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Move
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Dream
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Speak
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Love
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Graduate
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Organize
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Improve
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Honor
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Listen
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Campaign
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Represent
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Travel
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Vote
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Oversee
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Create
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Earn
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Help
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Challenge
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Announce
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Convince
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Do
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Protest
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Gain
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Plant
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Ascend
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Inspire
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Pave
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Award
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Learn
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Negotiate
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Stand
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Invite
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Debate
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Choose
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Connection to Previous Months:
Shirley Chisholm official portrait by Kadir Nelson
Shirley Chisholm was known for her strong principles and willingness to stand up for them. Her boldness is emphasized in the portrait commemorating her service. She is shown in a strikingly stylish coat, standing her ground before the Capitol. Nicknamed “Fighting Shirley,” the former educator earned her reputation from the beginning of her service, stating that she had “no intention of just sitting quietly and observing.”
